The present invention relates to a device for the input of alphanumerical data for apparatus of small size, comprising a keyboard formed of zones and data introduction elements, a monitoring display having luminous segments and electronic means of memorising and decoding.
Means for the input of alphanumerical data for apparatus of small volume are already known, in particular micro-keyboards for calculating watches, such as that forming the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,834.
In these micro-keyboards, the number of keys is equal to that of the symbols and, in the case of alphanumerical symbols, the number thereof is rather high, whilst the space available for the keys is rather restricted. The result is that the keys have to be severely miniaturised and can no longer be easily manually actuated. Therefore a ball-point pen for example, was tried having a fine point to exert the pressure necessary for actuating the key.
There are also keyboards comprising multi-function keys, in particular, on pocket scientific calculators. The two or three functions which are accomplished by one specific key are indicated, if desired, by different colours thereon. These marks take up a good deal of space and these keyboards cannot be validly employed for micro-keys.
A system for the introduction of data operating sequentially such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,545, requires only a small number of keys, but it is very slow and laborious.
Writing systems with sequential decoding are already known, such as that forming the object of U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,785. Such a system requires only few keys but it requires a period of learning on the part of the user who must learn to form the symbols. Such an apprenticeship, even if it seems elementary, represents a limitation of the system which some people will refuse to accept.
Finally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,980,823 and 3,704,343 propose a display and a keyboard comprising, respectively, eight segments and eight keys or contacts. The proposed arrangement of the display segments is such that it requires a period of learning on the part of the user. The letters A, B, D, E and F, for example may be displayed in various ways, none of which is obvious to the user.
The object of the present invention is to provide a device for the input of alphanumerical data for apparatus of small size not having the above disadvantages.
According to the present invention there is provided a device for the input of alphanumerical data for apparatus of small volume with a keyboard comprising zones and members for the introduction of data, a monitoring display with luminous segments and electronic means for memorising and decoding, the said introduction zones enabling composition of the said data, segment-by-segment, the actuation of a zone making it possible to activate the display segment corresponding to the said zone, the geometrical arrangement on the keyboard of the said zones being directly related to the arrangement of the segments of the display.
The characteristics of the device are as follows:
small number of introduction zones, less than that of the symbols; PA1 manual actuation of the zones; PA1 the zones can be actuated in any order; PA1 display of data entered by means of universally known symbols, making the device attractive and pleasant to use; PA1 rapid input of the symbols, each recognising very rapidly the graphic form of the symbol that he wishes to introduce; PA1 no period of learning necessary on the part of the user; and PA1 simple associated electronic circuits.